No return date for council staff, says leader
No date can yet be given for when council staff can return to their headquarters or other offices, a boss has confirmed.
Councillor Sandra Davies had asked council leader Rosemarie Harris to clarify the issue, last week’s full Powys County Council meeting.
More than 2,000 council staff, usually based in Llandrindod Wells and other Mid Wales offices, are working from home.
Councillor Davies said: “A lot of planning and preparation is currently underway to enable schools to open for young people to return in September.
“What date will this authority resume its routine business and when will the council office be open to members of the public?”
Councillor Harris replied: “Whilst we are preparing our buildings to enable staff to return to our offices, this must be planned carefully in accordance to guidance prepared by Welsh Government and the Health and Safety Executive.
"This currently requires strict social distancing, hygiene, a risk assessment for each work-space, as well as arrangements to record attendance, in case contact tracing may be necessary.
“We are not therefore in a position to publish a date when council offices will be open to members of the public.”
Councillor Harris added that more than 3,350 council staff were frontline workers, providing services in schools, care settings or work from depots, such highways or refuse collection workers.
Those work places have already had a risk assessment with appropriate measures put in place, she added.
Councillor Harris said: “Routine business has gradually been re-established remotely and further developments will take place from September.
“However, this will remain subject to the progress of Covid-19 as officers from across the council continue to respond to the virus.”
